The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of caladium plant, botanically known as Caladium×hortulanum, commercially referred to as a fancy leaf-type caladium and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Hearts Desire’.
Caladiums (also referred to as Caladium plants) are ornamental aroids frequently used as pot and landscape plants for their colorful foliage and ease of growing. The objective of the Inventors' breeding program is to create new Caladium cultivars that have numerous leaves, attractive foliage, and exceptional container and landscape performance.
The new Caladium cultivar ‘Hearts Desire’ originated from a cross between ‘Grey Ghost’ (commercial cultivar, not patented) and ‘Miss Muffet’ (commercial cultivar, not patented) that was made in Bradenton, Fla., in summer 2003. The new Caladium cultivar ‘Hearts Desire’ was discovered and selected by the inventors as a single plant in Bradenton, Fla. in 2004. The Caladium cultivar ‘Hearts Desire’ has been found to retain its distinctive characteristics through at least nine generations of successive asexual propagations via tuber divisions since 2004.
Plant Breeder's Rights for this cultivar have not been applied for. ‘Hearts Desire’ has not been made publicly available more than one year prior to the filing of this application.